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The triangle of power: rebalancing the new world order
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DOI：10.1093/ia/iiag111.png)
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Abstract
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Rarely does one encounter a book written by a sitting politician reflecting upon notes that were collected when he was a professor of political science and which were, in fact, reflecting upon experiences gathered during the tenure of other political offices and as an academic alike. In The triangle of power Alexander Stubb brings this unique perspective to bear in a most fascinating way, which makes the book an asset for academics and the wider public. Stubb's prose grips the reader from the start, recalling a phone conversation with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on 27 February 2022. ‘Please, please stop this madness. You are the only one who can stop him’ (p. 15). To which Lavrov has this to say: ‘Whom? Zelensky? Biden?’ and a disappointed Stubb notes: ‘No dice. Lavrov continues with the same tropes. I quit after the sixth fruitless message. I feel angry and disappointed. More than that, I feel the tectonic plates of history shifting’ (p. 15). This moment sets the background for this book's discussion of possible global scenarios. Three years later, on 29 March 2025, a day of golfing with the current United States president in Mar-al-Lago, confirms Stubb's perception of large, potentially disruptive change ahead: ‘I understand that Trump's world is more transactional than multilateral. His presidency will change the way we conduct diplomacy across the Atlantic’ (p. 16). It is this change which the book aims to grasp and pin down. Stubb does this, cleverly and convincingly, with reference to further vignettes taken from a politician's diary followed by concise discussions about what kind of international relations are possible and which are plausible. While drawing on scholarly knowledge, the author has decided against using academic referencing. This contributes to making this book a real page-turner and inspires further discussion across the academic/practitioner boundary at the same time.
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